Growing global concern over persistent plastic waste has generated much interest in biodegradable polymers for everyday use. Biodegradable polymers based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) are an attractive alternative as they can be readily produced from renewable agriculture sources. Recent developments in manufacturing polymers from agricultural sources have accelerated the emergence of these polymers in the biodegradable plastic commodity market.
PLA is generally perceived as having a high tensile modulus, which leads to undesirable properties, such as stiffness and lack of flexibility, when PLA is used in food packaging or other types of films. Plasticizers are often used to reduce the tensile modulus of thermoplastics. Epoxidized oils, such as epoxidized soy bean oil, have been known to plasticize PLA. There is a need for compositions comprising PLA that have a reduced tensile modulus and increased flexibility compared to current compositions.